I decided to ditch R154 and looking for advice from knowledgeable people. Never drove in my life car with auto transmission, just recently started paying attention to GM auto application on street/strip cars
Car is mk3, 7M motor, 3.24 ltr stroker from Suprarich, 78mm BB turbo. Motor will be built with best parts, want to rev it to 7500 rpm. Now my friend will be making exhaust manifold for me with very long ~90-95 cm (nearly 3 feet) runners. So, I hope to have good bottom end torque from this motor. Wanted to use SP quick-spool valve, it is very neat idea, but not sure how well it stands to anti-lag. Otherwise this valve would give even more bottom end torque
Car will weigh ~3050-3100 lb with driver, 3200 lb street weight, 3.91 rear end, have 3.73 as spare in my garage.
I don’t want TH400 – too heavy and inefficient. Though for sure TH400 is cheapest way, in nearly stock form they hold a lot of power. Seems like I am left with TH350 or Powerglide. I would prefer 3-speed TH350 but not sure how much power it will take, have yet to hear about one running behind 1000hp motor. I understand TH350 have some inherent weakness, something like lack of intermediate support plate for shaft bearings. This makes them unsuitable for 600-700+ lb-ft torque. At least this is what I read many times. I would be happy if someone can prove this wrong (Duane ?? ) All info I gathered is from the Net, probably it is not correct
Last choice I have is Powerglide, I think it will be the way I go, just need opinions from folks who know this subject. I have many questions, would be grateful to hear your comments. I want to order tranny from ATI, lot of info I gathered is from their site. They can be built for 1500+ hp and have many bells and whistles to make them nearly bulletproof. I also like the fact of lower parasitic loss of Powerglide.
1. High hp Glide comes with 1.80 gear, how will it feel off the line on the street with 3.91 rear, 26” street tires? I realize that torque converter will make or kill my combo, will order it when I know motor torque and power curves. I understand for street/strip car I need tight 3300-3500 rpm true stall converter and use nitrous/2-step to spool turbo on the strip
2. Another option is to buy 3.55 gear set from Jawsgear and swap it only for ¼ mile. Powerful cars only benefit from lower gear and run faster 1/4 mile, but on the street most likely it will feel miserably slow off the line
3. How easy to do basic rebuild of Powerglide? I am in Ukraine and sending heavy transmission to US for rebuild is expensive option. I have to buy book from TCI or other on this subject
4. If Glide comes with deep aftermarket pan how low it will be hanging? Is it OK to use on street car? Or better to use shallower stock pan and something like B&M fluid consistency system which adds 4 qtrs of fluid capacity.
5. Will it be sufficient to run one transmission cooler w/ integral fan, size 15" x 7.5" x 3" or most likely I need two of them? I understand tighter and more efficient converters create much less heat then loose ones.
6. Anybody has firsthand experience with Gear Vendors overdrive unit? Or at least had a ride in the car equipped with it. It comes with electronic control unit for automatic engagement/disengagement of overdrive. What is the principle of work of this ECU, does it need rpm signal and something like strain gauge on the shifter? How it works with manual Glide when let’s say accelerating 1st – 1st over – 2nd ?
7. How noisy straight cut gears in Powerglide? I have read somewhere that properly cut these gears don’t have to be very noisy.
Thanks
Car is mk3, 7M motor, 3.24 ltr stroker from Suprarich, 78mm BB turbo. Motor will be built with best parts, want to rev it to 7500 rpm. Now my friend will be making exhaust manifold for me with very long ~90-95 cm (nearly 3 feet) runners. So, I hope to have good bottom end torque from this motor. Wanted to use SP quick-spool valve, it is very neat idea, but not sure how well it stands to anti-lag. Otherwise this valve would give even more bottom end torque
Car will weigh ~3050-3100 lb with driver, 3200 lb street weight, 3.91 rear end, have 3.73 as spare in my garage.
I don’t want TH400 – too heavy and inefficient. Though for sure TH400 is cheapest way, in nearly stock form they hold a lot of power. Seems like I am left with TH350 or Powerglide. I would prefer 3-speed TH350 but not sure how much power it will take, have yet to hear about one running behind 1000hp motor. I understand TH350 have some inherent weakness, something like lack of intermediate support plate for shaft bearings. This makes them unsuitable for 600-700+ lb-ft torque. At least this is what I read many times. I would be happy if someone can prove this wrong (Duane ?? ) All info I gathered is from the Net, probably it is not correct
Last choice I have is Powerglide, I think it will be the way I go, just need opinions from folks who know this subject. I have many questions, would be grateful to hear your comments. I want to order tranny from ATI, lot of info I gathered is from their site. They can be built for 1500+ hp and have many bells and whistles to make them nearly bulletproof. I also like the fact of lower parasitic loss of Powerglide.
1. High hp Glide comes with 1.80 gear, how will it feel off the line on the street with 3.91 rear, 26” street tires? I realize that torque converter will make or kill my combo, will order it when I know motor torque and power curves. I understand for street/strip car I need tight 3300-3500 rpm true stall converter and use nitrous/2-step to spool turbo on the strip
2. Another option is to buy 3.55 gear set from Jawsgear and swap it only for ¼ mile. Powerful cars only benefit from lower gear and run faster 1/4 mile, but on the street most likely it will feel miserably slow off the line
3. How easy to do basic rebuild of Powerglide? I am in Ukraine and sending heavy transmission to US for rebuild is expensive option. I have to buy book from TCI or other on this subject
4. If Glide comes with deep aftermarket pan how low it will be hanging? Is it OK to use on street car? Or better to use shallower stock pan and something like B&M fluid consistency system which adds 4 qtrs of fluid capacity.
5. Will it be sufficient to run one transmission cooler w/ integral fan, size 15" x 7.5" x 3" or most likely I need two of them? I understand tighter and more efficient converters create much less heat then loose ones.
6. Anybody has firsthand experience with Gear Vendors overdrive unit? Or at least had a ride in the car equipped with it. It comes with electronic control unit for automatic engagement/disengagement of overdrive. What is the principle of work of this ECU, does it need rpm signal and something like strain gauge on the shifter? How it works with manual Glide when let’s say accelerating 1st – 1st over – 2nd ?
7. How noisy straight cut gears in Powerglide? I have read somewhere that properly cut these gears don’t have to be very noisy.
Thanks
